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Minister for Immigration Mark Harper says he will consider more rigorous checks at borders after a report warned that thousands of illegal immigrants attempting to get into the UK through France have not been fingerprinted for four years.

The report by the Chief Inspector of Borders said records need to be kept in case some people later try to claim asylum in the UK.

The Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has told ITV Daybreak that a loophole in immigration checks on people entering Britain is "still an issue" and recommends detention facilities at London's St Pancras station to cope with people arriving in this way.

John Vine's comments follow accusations of a "cover-up" by Home Secretary Theresa May after she used legal powers to keep parts of a critical inspection by Mr Vine into UK border controls secret.

In unredacted parts of the report, Mr Vine reveals that border staff remain concerned over the effect of the so-called Lille loophole, which effectively exempts some passengers who travel to Britain via Lille, in France, on Eurostar trains boarded in Belgium, from UK Border Force immigration checks.

He said: "I am concerned that the Home Secretary has decided to redact part of the findings related to the 'Lille Loophole', despite John Vine finding that some were still able to reach Britain using this method.

"The committee has been assured in the past that the loophole would be closed. The withholding of information prevents us from properly holding the Border Force to account."

Redacted sections of a report into the running of UK borders have been hidden from the public because it would jeopardise national security, the Home Office has said.

In accordance with the UK Borders Act 2007 the Home Secretary, in consultation with the independent chief inspector, is required to redact any material which, if published, would be prejudicial to the interests of national security.

These take the form of visible redactions in the report laid before Parliament.

– Home Office Spokesperson

The report proved illegal immigrants were prevented from entering the UK by the “excellent working relationships” between the UK, French and Belgian authorities, the Home Office added.

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The Home Secretary has been accused of “hiding her own failings” by preventing sections of a report into UK borders from being made available to the public.

Theresa May prevented 15 sections of a report by Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration John Vine from being published by claiming it was in the interest of national security to keep them secret.

However, the Tory MP was criticised by Labour members for hiding information which shows how many illegal immigrants have not been fingerprinted before entering the UK from France.

Yet again the Government refuses to be straight with the British people about immigration and our borders....What possible reason can there be for redacting elements of a report by a highly-respected independent inspector?

If Theresa May thinks Mr Vine's report would imperil national security or provide ammunition for illegal migrants, she should share the full report with the Home Affairs Select Committee and ourselves and explain why the full report cannot be published without masses of redactions.